The United States and Japan will step up their defence cooperation to deal with the threat from nuclear-armed North Korea as tensions in East Asia remain high, officials from the two allies said on Thursday.

Newman denies donation favouritism

Premier Campbell Newman's campaign visit to Cairns has been overshadowed by claims he has lied and his government has been influenced by political donations.

Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers says Mr Newman never delivered $20 million in funding he had personally pledged to provide for extra police to deal with the expansion of the state's Safe Night Precinct initiatives.

"Campbell Newman looked me in the eye and he lied to me," Mr Leavers told ABC Radio on Wednesday.

But the premier hit back, saying he was happy to discuss the funding with Mr Leavers, which he understood had been paid.

"Well, I reckon there's some sort of misunderstanding," Mr Newman said in Cairns.

"I'm more than happy to sit down with him to clarify that.

"I'm also quite confident that in this Safe Night Out initiative that we have, that when police do overtime they'll be paid."

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Mr Leavers' comments come after Sydney radio personality Alan Jones also claimed this week that Mr Newman had lied to him.

Mr Jones said the premier assured him before his election in 2012 that there would be no expansion to the controversial Acland coalmine on Queensland's Darling Downs.

Mr Newman's Liberal National Party approved a downgraded expansion after coming to power.

The premier, who has described Mr Jones as "a bloke from Sydney", has declined to talk about his conversation with the broadcaster.

Mr Newman also hit back at reports the expansion's approval was linked to Acland mine's parent company, Soul Pattinson, donating $650,000 to the LNP over three years.

"Of course not, and what we're seeing from the Labor party are the same tactics we saw last time," Mr Newman said, referring to political attacks on his family during the 2012 campaign.

Mr Newman said he could prove political donations would not influence his government.

"I'll give you two words: Clive Palmer," he said, referring to the mining magnate allegedly seeking preferential treatment for his project in the Galilee Basin.

"Who was the biggest donor (to the LNP) previously?

"I've given you the name and we said no when he asked for something to be done that wasn't kosher."

Mr Newman campaigned in Cairns on Wednesday, making commitments including $15 million for a special school, $1 million for university engineering labs and almost $9 million in road and bridge upgrades.

He also witnessed work starting on a new development in Cairns, called Nova 8, which will include seven commercial and residential towers being built in the city centre.

Union protesters demonstrated out the front of the site against the LNP's asset leasing plans, referring to the premier as a "grub".

Mr Newman responded, saying: "Fly-in, fly-out protesters from Brisbane and indeed interstate will not drown out the fact the we've just created 1000 jobs in Cairns."